This October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

You may not have heard, but this October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Suffolk Breast Practice are playing a part in raising awareness of breast cancer. Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer in women in the UK. By raising awareness of this insidious disease, we hope to provide you with the necessary information to become breast aware and, together, we can help change lives. 

Be Breast Aware 

Always remember to check your breasts for any abnormalities, but do not self-diagnose. That is why we are here, to ensure you receive the required care and advice. Always visit a qualified professional if you are concerned about any changes to your breast, such as the appearance of lumps or other symptoms. 

Breast lumps are an early sign of breast cancer, although most lumps are innocuous. Changes in the texture of your skin around the nipple, such as peeling or crusting, can also be an early sign of breast cancer. These symptoms may be accompanied by nipple discharge or breast pain, in which case it is best to seek urgent medical advice. 

Breast cancer increases with age, so it is important to attend regular breast screenings, particularly if you are a woman aged 50 or above. It is also important you understand the different risk levels of breast cancer and are aware of any breast cancer cases in your family history. Visit our blog to learn more about familial breast cancer, genetics, and risk levels. 

What You Can Do to Help 

You can share this article on social media and spread the message about breast cancer awareness. By doing this, you could potentially save lives, or at least give people a fighting chance if they are diagnosed at an early stage. Indeed, 98% of women who are diagnosed at the earliest stage survive for at least 5 years compared to women who are diagnosed at a later stage. This is why breast cancer awareness is so important. 

Thanks to ongoing research and increased awareness, more than 130,000 UK breast cancer deaths have been avoided since 1989. By raising awareness about breast cancer, we hope to ensure you are equipped with the necessary knowledge to access support if needed. Our understanding of cancer is growing by the year as research continues to be undertaken. Please visit our breast cancer page to learn more about the disease, including causes, symptoms, and treatments. 

We, at Suffolk Breast Practice understand how difficult a subject breast cancer is. Therefore, we offer an empathetic service that is sensitive to the needs of our patients. If you are concerned about any abnormal changes to your breasts, please do not hesitate to contact us. Likewise, if you know of someone who is concerned or reluctant to visit a health care professional, please share this article with them. By raising awareness of breast cancer, we can help change lives.